1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for extracting water from atmospheric air having a free-flowing adsorbent (3, 13) or an absorbent (3, 13) in particular a saline solution (3, 13), having a hygroscopic salt for the adsorption or absorption of water, the adsorption or absorption being provided at least along an adsorption or absorption section (7). More particularly the invention pertains to a guide element (1, 16, 19, 22, 24) for guiding the adsorbent or absorbent and at least one metering unit having at least one orifice (6) for adding the saline solution (3) to the guide element and a metering unit for pressurizing the saline solution (3).
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
At many places in the world, particularly in semi arid or arid regions, such as, for example, in parts of Israel, Egypt, the Sahel zone or numerous hot deserts, which are at a significant distance from the sea, potable water supplies are not available, at least nor all year round. In addition to the transport of potable water, there is here only the possibility of providing potable water from moist air.
Condensers are already known in many ways for extracting condensable water from atmospheric air having a refrigeratorable cold store, the relatively moist atmospheric air being cooled below the dew point (see DE-C-28 10 241, DD 285 142 A5).
In addition, devices are also known which bind atmospheric water in an absorption phase by means of an adsorbent or absorbent material such as a salt, e.g. sodium chloride or the like. In this case the salt or the corresponding saline solution is generally stored in a liquid container, the water level or the topside, viewed in a vertical direction, of the salt or of the brine being considered as water-adsorbent or absorbent surface. In a desorption phase, this salt-water solution or brine is dehydrated for extracting the potable water and the salt is made available again for absorption (see, e.g., DE-C 2 660 068, DE 198 50 557 A1).
However, disadvantages of these methods or devices are the comparatively large construction size and the relatively low yield of potable water per unit volume of brine.